Unexpected
by kinseya
Summary: A bsg epics first line prompt - "It's always alarming to wake up, so unexpectedly, in someone else's rack." A brief, Laura/Kara interlude during the Colonial Day celebrations and the morning after. Not explicit.
1. Chapter 1

It's always alarming to wake up, so unexpectedly, in someone else's rack. Even more so when it is the rack of someone so unexpected, Laura thinks, as she takes in the unfamiliar surroundings. Laura tries to remain still as not to disturb her sleeping companion as she struggles to recollect the exact circumstances that brought her here, naked, limbs entangled with those of the brash blonde Viper pilot.

Ambrosia. There was definitely ambrosia, Laura deduces, a faint hint of the alcohol's aftertaste lingering in her mouth. They were doing shots, she recalls, the events of the night previous finally starting to come back to her.

After her dance with the Commander, Laura went to get a refill of water from the bar, and while she was waiting, an exuberant and slightly tipsy Captain Thrace bumped into her. After waving off Kara's apology, they conversed while watching citizens and crew members alike letting loose on the dance floor.

Kara made a joke about asking Laura to dance, and they both laughed. She'd offered to buy Laura a drink, and even though Laura knew she shouldn't mix her medication with alcohol, she couldn't resist the twinkle in Kara's eye.

Somehow a single glass of ambrosia turned into mixed ambrosia shooters and a tipsy Laura asking Kara to quote, get her out of there. They had ended up in the surprisingly empty pilot's quarters and Laura took Kara up on her earlier offer of a dance. They swayed to the music in their heads, and when Kara pressed her lips against Laura's, Laura responded in kind.

How they went from that first gentle kiss to Laura being naked in Kara's rack, hips thrusting in time with her talented tongue and fingers, remains a bit of a mystery, but she vividly remembers the latter.

Laura's body shifts reflexively as she replays the pleasures of the night before, causing her companion to waken.

"Hey," Kara says sleepily, adjusting her body until they are face to face.

"Hey, yourself," Laura replies, "I don't remember everything, but I think I was an embarrassingly selfish lover last night."

"You needed it bad," Kara says, biting back a laugh. "I think, under the circumstances, it can be forgiven."

"Or remedied," Laura murmurs, sliding her hand across Kara's abdomen.

"As good as that sounds, we're probably not alone any longer. I'm used to having an audience, but you might not want…" she trails off.

"If I'm going to have to take the proverbial walk of shame out of here, I at least want them to know that I have some prowess," Laura teases.

"Spending the night with you has already guaranteed me a place in legend, but if you really want to do me some favors, forget about my pleasure. I'll truly be a God if they hear me make you scream."

Laura laughs. "You're pretty sure of yourself, aren't you," she asks with a smile.

"Sure of my sexual prowess, yes. About anything else…well, that's a different matter entirely," Kara responds honestly.

"Is this something you're going to regret, Laura? A tipsy one-night stand," she asks with some trepidation.

Wanting to give Kara reassurance, Laura leans over and kisses her, humming deep in her throat as their tongues tangle together, soft and slow.

"No regrets," she says as she pulls back, "I can't make any promises, but I'm not shutting the door on anything either. Okay?"

Kara smiles, running her hand down Laura's arm, entwining their fingers.

"Okay," she says, "If you're still interested in showing off your skills, I could be persuaded…" she trails off as she sees Laura's wicked smile.


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: A lot of this chapter is straight show dialogue, which I made small edits to. I called Kara a Captain in Chapter 1, even though she was only a Lieutenant at the time, so I'm continuing that. I really liked my first chapter and am not sure chapters 2 & 3 actually improve the story or not. Would love some feedback. If it was better as a one-shot, I'll change it back._

* * *

Kara doesn't have any chances to spend time with the president following the morning after Colonial Day, and for the first time in her life, she wishes she were a Raptor pilot. At least then she could transport Laura back and forth between Colonial One and Galactica. Then she might be able to find a reason to stay on Colonial One, maybe find an opportunity to have some time alone with Laura. But sadly, she is just a reckless Viper jock, so it isn't to be.

Therefore, she's extremely excited when she gets word that the president wants to see her in the wardroom, and when she finds the president alone in the chamber, Kara can't contain her cocky smirk.

"Is this a presidential booty call," she asks cheekily, receiving a startled laugh from Laura.

"I wish. Can I do that," Laura asks, "If I'd known I could do that…." she trails off.

"You're the president. You can do whatever you want."

"You would think so, Kara, but that isn't always the case," Laura explains.

Kara's excitement fades as she listens to Laura outline her plan for Kara to disregard her military orders, steal the Cylon raider, and retrieve the Arrow of Apollo from Caprica.

"You can't be serious," she says.

"All of this has happened before, and all of this will happen again," Laura continues, "The Cylon you interrogated, he quoted that bit of scripture. He also said that we would find Kobol and Kobol would show us the way, did he not?"

"Yes, he did."

"Well, we have found Kobol. Do you believe in the Gods, Captain?"

"Yes, I believe."

"I would like you to think this through with me. If you believe in the Gods, then you believe in the cycle of time. That we are all playing our parts in a story that is told again and again and again throughout eternity," Laura says.

"That's the way I was raised, but that doesn't mean that my part of the story is to go off on some crazy ass mission against orders."

"May I tell you the part of the story that it would seem I am playing? I am dying."

"What," Kara asks, heart stopping on the word dying. It can't be true, she thinks. It's too unfair.

Laura notices Kara's distress, but the mission is too important to stop and try to comfort her, to explain why she didn't tell her after their night together.

"I have terminal breast cancer. I have six months at the outside to live, and I've only told three people, so I would appreciate it if you kept it between us."

"Of course. Are you saying that you're…" Kara pauses.

"The scriptures tell us a dying leader led humanity to the promised lands. If you go back to Caprica and bring me the arrow, I will show us the way."

"This is crazy."

"People keep using that word. It is crazy, perhaps. It doesn't mean it isn't true…and it may be our only chance, our _only_ chance, to find Earth."

"The Old Man is our last chance to find Earth," Kara says angrily. "He knows where it is. He said so. You were there. The location is a secret, but he is going to take us there."

Laura sighs, standing up.

"Commander Adama has no idea where Earth is. He never did. He made it up in order to give people hope."

"You're lying," Kara accuses.

"Go ask him."

"I will."

"Captain…Kara, if you decide to do as I've asked, please see me before you leave."


	3. Chapter 3

Although Kara easily accused Laura of lying, she leaves the wardroom torn. She doesn't think the Old Man would lie to everyone about knowing Earth's location, but neither does she think Laura would lie to her. A part of her doesn't want to know the truth, wants to avoid the heartbreak and betrayal.

After getting only vague answers from Adama, Kara knows that Laura was telling the truth, and she knows that despite the danger, she'll attempt to retrieve the Arrow for her. It may be crazy, but it may also be their only way to find a path to Earth.

Having made her decision, Kara boards a Raptor bound for Colonial One. Laura asked to see her before she left, and Kara only has a few hours before her scheduled Raider attack test which will be her only opportunity to jump back to Caprica.

Laura dismisses Billy when Kara arrives at her office, pulling the curtain closed behind him. Feeling that sitting behind her desk would be too formal, Laura settles on one of the chairs in front of her desk and indicates for Kara to take the other.

Neither knows where to start, but, finally Kara begins.

"You're dying," she says, part statement, part question.

"Yes. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier. I've just become accustomed to keeping it a secret. I felt if people knew, it would erode hope."

"Who knows," Kara asks.

"You, Dr. Cottle, Billy, and Apollo," Laura responds quietly. "I'm taking alternative treatment - chamalla extract. It sometimes causes hallucinations, visions…"

"Does it make you horny," Kara asks, attempting to lighten the heavy mood of their conversation.

Laura laughs, "You know, sometimes it does. Now that is something you could help me with," she teases, but her smile fades.

"I want you to know, I understand the danger I'm sending you into. I don't like it, but, you are the only person that can do this. I have faith in you. You will come back to me, won't you?"

"I will," Kara says, "I promise."

"I thought we weren't making promises," Laura replies.

"You said you couldn't make any. I never said anything of the kind. Now come over here and give me a proper send-off," Kara says, standing.

Laura walks over to Kara and immediately wraps her arms around her waist, pulling her close. She tips her head up to kiss her, and Kara responds instantly, mouth opening to the swipe of Laura's tongue across her bottom lip, while she tangles her hands in Laura's long tresses. They kiss languidly, tongues caressing, swiping against the sensitive roof of a mouth. Both are breathless when they pull apart, and Kara laughs at the damage she's wrought on Laura's appearance: kiss swollen lips and thoroughly mussed hair.

"Billy is going to be traumatized if we don't get you back to looking perfectly presidential," Kara says. "Right now, it's way too obvious what we've been doing,"

"Let me worry about Billy. You just keep yourself safe."

"I will. Just don't go finding someone new while I'm gone, okay," Kara teases.

"I didn't make any promises," Laura says with a wink, as Kara heads towards the curtain.

"Good hunting, Captain," Laura calls out right as Kara crosses the threshold. She turns back, throwing Laura a smart salute, before continuing on her way.

After Kara leaves, Laura gets back to work, but keeps an ear listening for word of her Raider attack test. As Kara jumps away, she sends a quick prayer to the Gods, and awaits the furious call she expects from Commander Adama.


End file.
